Excited I open the first page with a defensive spell called Aurora,

it puts a thin layer of condensed mana above the skin of the user that protects the caster from cuts and light bruises, after I'm finished reading the description, I begin inspecting the materials needed for the spell.

A low tier Catalyst--recommended bloodstone...

Disappointed I flip to the next page hoping that it doesn't need any materials.

Mage armor

A improved version of the Aurora spell

That protects the wearer from smaller firearms and shrapnel, the main defence spell of most mages.

Materials needed:

A Catalyst--...

Annoyed I flip through the pages, but this time i ignore the descriptions of the spells and immediately check the materials that are needed for it, after more than half of the pages, I stop at a page with something called a matrix

Matrix of dissonance

Only the matrix circle is needed

Creates a dome inside the border of the ritual that slows down time for anything that passes the matrix circle

Excited I search for something that explains how to create that circle that was mentioned, after I found nothing I flip to the next page. And there it is a drawing of a circle surrounded by a ton of runes and underneath that, is a smaller one without them connected via two lines to the main circle. On the bottom of the drawing is a step by step guide on how to draw a matrix

Step 1

Get something to draw the runes and circles on, beware it must be something that can't be bend or easily flipped

Next get yourself a rune pen or a piece of infused chalk when you don't know how to infuse some chalk flip to page 31 there it is explained.

Step 2

Copy the drawing like it is shown, the size of the matrix can vary as long as all of the components have the same proportions.

Beware that the mana cost increases if you make the circle bigger, the size of the smaller circle doesn't matter for the outcome of the spell and it should be only increased if the energy source is too large for it because the efficiency will decline if done otherwise.

Step 3

Activate the circle, for that you have to put a energy source inside the smaller circle

you can use your own inner mana by standing inside of it, or you can put one of these things inside of it: Fire, a living plant, an animal, condensed mana or something that produces mana as a by product.

I think ive seen my dad with a piece of chalk

when he worked on the kitchen wall a few days ago it's probably still in his toolbox, and with that I rush outside to the shed and begin rummaging through the tools on his workbench, "what ya doing?" I turn around and see Emely standing there one hand in her brown hair and the other one holding a wooden horse her pink dress has a few dirt stains on it and I'm sure if my mother sees it, she will defenetly be scolded.

"Do you know where the box with the chalk is?"

"Yup, it's in the drawer, I asked dad if I could play with it put he said he needs it"

She said chewing on her curly hair

"Okay thanks" I remark

"El?"

"Mhm?"

"Mom is crying in the garden and if I trie to ask her why, she doesn't respond is it because of the letter?" she whispered sad

"Ah... don't worry she's just sad because in a week, I need to go far away"

I claim with a fake smile

"And when do you come back?"She asks

"I don't know, hopefully after a few months"

"Can you write me a letter?"

"Why do you want a letter?"

"Because Anne the girl from my class always brags with her letters from her dad" She uttered depressed "just for that? Because you want to brag yourself?" "Yes and can you like write as if you are doing something important like saving a princess or something?" "Yeah i can do that" i say with a genuine smile now and after that she turns around and leaves hopping like a bunny in the process. I wait till I can't see her anymore, and then I open the drawer Emely mentioned and push most of the stuff that is blocking my sight to the left,

My eyes turn blurry when i think about mom crying for me. I grab the box and get on my feet trying to use my left sleeve to wipe the tears away.